Tech students prepare to welcome Aggies

The row of inhabited tents lined up next to the southeast gate of Jones AT&T Stadium Monday morning illustrated that this isn't just any other week for football at Texas Tech.

Only the imminent arrival of a team from Texas or, in this case, Texas A&M can stir that sort of anticipation in Lubbock.

"For them to be camped out out there, it shows how exciting this game's going to be for those fans," Tech quarterback Graham Harrell said. "When you play an instate school, it's a big game for everyone, but I think it's a bigger game for the fans than it is for the players even.

College football

 Who: Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M

 When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday

 Where: Jones AT&T Stadium

 Records: A&M 5-1, 2-0 in Big 12 Conference; Tech 5-1, 1-1.

 TV: ABC (channel 28; Suddenlink Cable channel 8)

 Last game: Texas A&M 24, Oklahoma State 23; Tech 42, Iowa State 17

 Last meeting: Tech 31, A&M 27 last year in College Station

 Line: Tech by 8 Crabtree watchThrough six games this season, Texas Tech freshman receiver Mike Crabtree is on pace to break a handful of records. Follow along as The A-J tracks his progress:RECEPTIONS

"For the players, every Big 12 (Conference) game is huge. For the fans, when you're playing an instate school in conference, they get excited and they see it as bragging rights for their school."

Lately, the bragging rights have belonged to Tech, which has won nine of the last 12 in the series and six in a row in Lubbock. The two teams play at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Harrell can't blame his fellow students for being so enthusiastic. He's partly responsible for their passion, having thrown a dramatic touchdown pass in the final minute to lift Tech to a 31-27 victory last year in College Station.

"Last year was crazy," Tech center Shawn Byrnes said. "When Graham made that throw, it was the most exciting sideline I've ever been on, unless you talk about the Minnesota game (when Tech rallied from 38-7 to win)."

Harrell's pass was a 37-yard bomb to Robert Johnson with 26 seconds left. He dropped it neatly through the arms of an A&M cornerback who couldn't have had tighter coverage.

"I don't know if it's the prettiest ball I've thrown," said Harrell, who has 69 career touchdown passes and 676 completions. "That was a big one. It's probably my favorite play in my career up to this point, no doubt."

Last year's game added to a decades-long trend of fantastic finishes to Aggies-Red Raiders games. In the last 13 meetings, nine have been decided by a touchdown or less and two more were that close in the fourth quarter.

A&M's last two trips to Lubbock were the only exceptions - 59-28 and 56-17 Aggies losses.

This game is expected to be tighter, with both teams 5-1 and Tech favored by eight points. Some of that spread no doubt has to do with the raucous atmosphere the Aggies can expect.

"Especially when momentum swings and we get some momentum, being at home always helps," Harrell said, "just because it seems like it snowballs a little bit."

Several students are trying to get the snowball rolling right from the start of the week, throwing up five tents outside the stadium's student entrance.

Having spent much of his childhood in Wyoming, Tech coach Mike Leach has done plenty of camping, but what he sees across the street from his office is more sophisticated.

"They've got several tents. They've got kind of a (transparent) sun tent where you can see outside and see around. They've got tents with a little more privacy.

"It's very impressive, and typically as the week goes on - what's added and the number of people and all that - it becomes more impressive. They probably wouldn't let them, but campfires would be the one thing that's maybe missing."